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Romans 3:27-4:3
Over the past few weeks, we have been looking a little deeper into God setting Christ Jesus forth as the
propitiation the mercy seat. Thats the place where Gods justice finds satisfaction concerning sin, and
the sinner finds Gods mercy extended to him, so that he might be justified freed of all charges of sin and
guilt and therefore, forgiven.
As we considered the Day of Atonement and its fulfillment as seen in Hebrews chapter 9, we saw the way
in which this was achieved. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin (Heb 9:22); that is,
the release of the sinner from his sin comes only through death.
In the courtroom of Gods justice, we have all been found guilty, and must die to pay the penalty for our
sin; unless there is Another who is willing to pay it for us. Thats what Jesus did. Though His shed blood,
Jesus paid the penalty for the sin of mankind.
Jesus bore the sin of all men on the cross, and through His death, completely took sin away. But in order
for His work of redemption to come into effect for you, what must you do? You must believe into Jesus
Christ into His person, and His work.
You must receive Jesus personally; accept the free gift of salvation that God graciously offers, in Christ, to
every man. The cross provides for your release from sin and death; but you must come to the cross, in
order to be freed. And in being freed from sin, you become righteous in Christ.
Paul has stated very clearly that no flesh can be justified by the works of the Law, but only through faith in
Jesus Christ. In our day, we are so very familiar with the doctrine of salvation by faith alone in Christ
alone that we might fail to absorb an important point here.
For the religious Jews in Pauls day, the line was quite blurred between the works of the Law, and faith.
The typical Jew equated faith with being faithful to keep the Law, as best he could. Then, as a member of
Gods covenant people, bearing the mark of circumcision in his flesh, the Jew expected God to honor his
good intentions to keep the Law, and welcome the Jew into His kingdom.
We have seen in chapter 2 that Paul systematically stripped away all of the Jews rationalizations
concerning his covenant relationship with God, his possession of the Law, and his circumcised flesh,
leaving him exposed as a sinner on par with the Gentile, and equally subject to judgment. And Paul has
shown that the only way for a man to escape this judgment and become righteous is by faith in Jesus Christ.
Now he will proceed to hammer this point home with the Jew, showing that it is not just by faith, but by
faith alone utterly apart from any works, including the works of the Law that a man can be saved
whether Jew or Gentile. And to prove his point, Paul will call forth two witnesses of renown to the Jews
Abraham, whom we will begin to look at this week, and David next week.
For the sake of continuity, we will need to reread our previous passage, along with what we are studying
today.
[Read Romans 3:21-4:3]

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So having introduced that righteousness is through faith in Jesus Christ, Paul proceeds in verse 27-31 to
reveal the ramifications of being justified by faith, and the true purpose of the Law. Then in chapter 4, Paul
draws on examples from the Jews Scriptures for illustrations of being justified by faith. A key concept
which is woven throughout chapter 4 is imputation, which we will discuss shortly.
Lets begin back in verse 27.
v. 27 Notice that Paul has resumed a question-answer format. We have seen that format throughout
chapter 2, and in the beginning of chapter 3, where Paul was specifically addressing the Jews, and posing
questions both to them, as well as on their behalf, and then answering them. This signals to us that Paul is
resuming his dialog with the religious Jew, for the sake of his Jewish readers, in particular; he is directing
his statements especially to them.
In fact, all of chapter 4 relates to the Jews, specifically, because it is the Jews who have preconceived
notions about how it is that men Jews, in particular are justified; by being faithful to keep the covenant
and the Law as faithful as possible. Paul now proceeds to show them that this is a fallacy, as he
enlightens them to the truth.
What does Paul mean in his statement about boasting? We tend to think of boasting as bragging about
something; but what Paul is getting at is the attitude behind it pride the pride of accomplishment.
What specifically would be the boast of the religious Jew, here? We find the answer to this back in chapter
2. Look at what Paul said to the religious Jew, in verse 23: You who make your boast in the Law, do you
dishonor God through breaking the Law? (Rm 2:23).
This boast of the Jew is in the Law; in the notion that he can keep it. So the boast of the religious Jew here
in verse 27, in response to Pauls statement of being justified by faith, would be, I justify myself, through
doing the deeds of the Law. But what does Paul say? That boast is excluded.
Well, its not good enough to tell a religious Jew that what he boasts in is excluded. A religious Jew would
want to know why his boast is excluded, since that is how he thinks he can justify himself through the
works of the Law. And since that Law is Gods Law, the religious Jew would expect a legal basis for his
boast being excluded after all, this is Gods courtroom.
Here Paul introduces a little play on words, using the term, law. And so the religious Jew would say,
By what law? What law can possibly override working the Law of Moses? How can there be any better
system for a man to justify himself before God, than the Law of works?
In fact, there isnt a better system for that. There is no better system for a man to justify himself than by
trying to work the Law of Moses, for it is the revealed will of God and yet, the man will fail, again and
again.
But there is a different law; a different system a fail-proof system, that doesnt depend on man, at all.
This system has nothing to do with man earning his justification, which is hopeless. This system instead
gives men a know-so hope.
This system Gods system is the law of faith. The law of faith completely eclipses the law of works.
The law of works never attains the desired goal justification. The law of faith always does.
What Paul shows next is that these two laws are completely and mutually exclusive.

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v. 28 The critical word in this verse is apart. Faith in the finished work of Christ will always achieve its
purpose: to justify a man. But if the man thinks he must do the deeds of the Law in order to be justified, he
is not putting the law of faith into effect.
This is an either-or situation; its either the law of works, or the law of faith. Only one of these laws can be
followed, because they are diametrically opposed; each negates the other.
God has provided the way for a man to be justified through His Son, Jesus Christ. But if a man maintains
that he must do something to justify himself, he is not trusting in Christ to justify him; he doesnt believe
that Christs death on the cross actually paid the penalty for his sin, in full. And anything less that a
complete trusting in Jesus, is not faith at all; its unbelief.
Paul conclusion here that faith alone justifies; and that faith must be alone, apart from works, to justify
would have been startling to some of his Jewish readers. Many assumed that God had given the Law of
Moses to Israel for the purpose of keeping it; specifically, to make them a righteous people in His sight.
But Paul is saying that righteousness comes only through personal, individual faith, completely apart from
the works of the Law. And now, he will begin to prove it to the Jews. His proof begins with an unlikely
example: the Gentiles.
v. 29-30 How would the religious Jew answer Pauls first question here? Is God the God of the Jews only?
Although it might have been reluctant, their answer would have to be no. God is the Creator. He created
the earth and all its fullness. He created all men of every nation the Jews and the Gentiles. He is the God
of the Gentiles, also; the Jews could not help but agree with Paul.
The word one in verse 30 is emphatic; its one and the same. The God of the Jews is the one and the
same God of the Gentiles. Could a Jew dispute that? No its one of the most basic tenets to be found in
the Scriptures. Hear O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! (Deut 6:4). There is only one God, so
He must be the God of the Gentiles as well as the Jews the same God.
Since it is God who justifies men, would He have two different systems for doing it? No God is the
same; His means of justifying men would have to be the same, because God is just.
And this brings us to Pauls point: Then how could God choose to justify men through the works of the
Law, when He only gave the Law to the Jews? Aha! Through this simple but inspired reasoning, Paul has
proven the first part of his argument: justification cannot be through the works of the Law. That would
imply that God is unjust, which is just not possible.
In verse 30, Paul is bringing out that faith in Jesus Christ allows both Jews and Gentiles equal opportunity
to be justified by God; and since there is one God, who would have one system of justifying men, it makes
sense that faith would be that system.
But the Jews viewed themselves as superior to the Gentiles; they would tend to resist Pauls sensible
suggestion here, that both the circumcised Jew and the uncircumcised Gentile are justified by faith. Paul
will strengthen his case in chapter 4; but first, he has to lay aside an objection that the Jew was sure to raise
concerning the Law and put another nail in the coffin of justification by the works of the Law.
v. 31 The objection of the Jew is that if he cannot be justified through the works of the Law, that would
render the Law of Moses void the Law wouldnt serve its purpose.

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But Paul indicates this is absolutely not true. The Law does serve its purpose; its just that its purpose is
not justification.
What is the purpose of the Law? Paul has already named one purpose, back in verse 20. What is it? By
the Law is the knowledge of sin.
It was through the Law of Moses that the Jews learned the righteous requirements of God; and found they
were unable to keep them. Through the Law, the Jew discovered that they were powerless to please God,
because they were held captive by sin; this is how the Jew knew sin experientially.
In his letter to the Galatian assemblies, Paul discusses additional purposes of the Law. Turn to Galatians
chapter 3.
Pauls main purpose in writing to these assemblies was to dispel some false teaching that had been
introduced there. The Galatians were deceived into believing that simple faith in Christ was not enough to
save them; that they must add good works to their faith the Law in order to be justified by God. As in
Romans, Paul makes it abundantly clear that a man can only be justified by faith in Christ, and by that
alone.
In chapter three, Paul shows the threefold purpose of the Law. He has already discussed that the Law was
brought in to reveal transgression (Gal 3:19); as in Romans, by the Law is the knowledge of sin. In this
passage, he reveals two additional purposes of the Law.
[Galatians 3:22-25]
v. 22 When Paul says that Scripture has confined all under sin, he is personifying Scripture, as the Word of
God. God, though His Word, says that all men are sinners.
In Romans chapter 3, we have seen Paul quote scripture after scripture from the OT, showing exactly that;
the unrighteousness of both Jew and Gentile; there is none righteous, no, not one (Rm 3:10-18). Both are
in equal need of the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. But where all are confined under
sin, the Jews have an additional confinement.
v. 23 The we here is Paul and his fellow Jews. What is the additional confinement, of the Jews? The
Law of Moses. Before the faith came before Christ came, and fulfilled the work of redemption the
Jews were kept under guard by the Law. This is how Israel was kept separate as a nation; she was kept in
confinement under the Law, until such time as the woman brought forth her Seed Christ.
v. 24-25 Now Paul changes the metaphor. In the NKJV, the translation is tutor, but it literally means a
child leader, and refers to a slave who was appointed as guardian of the children in a Roman household.
This slave would train the young children until they came of age, at which time he would lead them to
school, and turn them over to the schoolmaster.
It was the ceremonial Law which served this purpose, to Israel; revealing Christ, to the Jews, through the
types and pictures in the tabernacle service, the sacrifices and offerings. These pictures in the ceremonial
Law were like the training of the guardian slave.

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Now, once Christ came, He fulfilled what was pictured in the ceremonial Law. Was there any further need
for the ceremonial Law, after that? No. And so Paul says that after the faith came Christ the Jews
were no longer under a tutor the guardian slave, the Law. For the Jew who had come of age, by believing
into Christ, the Law had served its purpose.
[Return to Romans 3]
This is why Paul is saying that instead of the Law being made void by faith, it is established by faith. The
purpose of the Law is confirmed by faith, because the Law points to faith as the way that God justifies men.
The righteous requirements of the Law showed the Jews that they cannot be justified by their works that
they are sinners. And the ceremonial Law showed that they can only be justified by faith in Christ. In this
way, faith establishes the purpose of the Law; it fulfills Gods intention, to bring the sinner to the Savior,
through faith.
Having demonstrated that the Jews are not justified through the works of the Law, Paul now returns to his
statement that men can only be justified by faith in Christ alone, apart from works whether they are Jew,
or Gentile. What would Pauls Jewish readers find to be the most convincing proof? The evidence of their
Scriptures; and Paul calls forth two witnesses from the OT Scriptures that the Jews would find irresistible.
4:1 So Pauls first witness is Abraham. Why would Paul choose Abraham? Well, for several reasons.
First of all, Abraham was a famous example; the Jews revered Abraham as the father of the nation Israel.
And Abraham is a powerful example; the account of Abraham in Scripture overwhelmingly supports Pauls
case of justification by faith; the quote in verse three demonstrates this clearly.
In addition, Abraham is an ancient example; it shows that Paul is not introducing some new doctrine here,
but the teaching of Scripture from 2000 years ago. And finally, as well see next week, Abraham is the
perfect example to show that both Jew and Gentile are justified in the same way.
Remember that Paul is making his argument here to the Jews they are the ones who still need convincing
on this subject. So the we here is Paul and his fellow Jews.
The NKJV has the phrase according to the flesh at the end of the sentence; but what Paul is clearly
meaning to point out is that Abraham is the father of the Jews their forefather, according to the flesh. An
alternate translation is, What then shall we say that Abraham our forefather according to the flesh has
found? Its a little awkward, but it conveys Pauls meaning better.
This is important, because Paul begins here by talking about Abraham as the father of the Jews, according
the flesh, but he later shows that in reality, Abraham is the father of all who believe (Rm 4:11) both Jew
and Gentile; these are his true sons (Rm 4:16). This is a key point of Pauls, and we must not miss it!
So Paul is asking what the experience of Abraham was. Pauls resource to show this will be the Genesis
record.
v. 2 It is notable that Paul begins by saying if Abraham was justified by works. Believe it or not, the
rabbis actually used Abraham as the ultimate example of a man being justified by works! They maintained
that Abraham was justified by keeping Gods Law (which would come 430 years later - Gal 3:17); and that
he was perfect in all his deeds with the Lord. If that were so, Abraham would have something to boast
about, wouldnt he? That would be a remarkable human achievement.

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But what does Paul say, at the end of verse 2? Not before God. Paul is provoking his Jewish readers to
think this through to consider the OT record. Would Abrahams works stand up, before a holy and
righteous God? No more than any mans works would, and the record reflects this.
Abraham disobeyed God; Scripture records that he did not separate from his family, as the LORD instructed
(Gen 11:31-32, 12:1-5). He left the land that the LORD had led him to dwell in (Gen 12:10). He lied on two
occasions, exposing his wife Sarah to danger, to protect himself (Gen 12:11-20, 20:1-18). And he tried in
himself to bring forth the Seed the LORD had promised, through relations with Sarahs maid Hagar (Gen
16:1-6).
It would seem that Abraham was not perfect in all his deeds with the Lord. Still, Abraham was certainly
justified; just not on the basis of his works. Paul cites the record to show how Abraham was justified.
v. 3 Here Paul personifies Scripture as though it is God Himself speaking which is most appropriate, as
this is His Word. Paul is quoting Genesis 15:6 here, but before we go back and look at this passage, I want
you to consider one thing.
The verse says that Abraham believed God, and on that basis, he was justified; God accounted it to him
for righteousness. Now, is it enough to believe God for just anything, in order to be made righteous? No
Paul has made it abundantly clear that a man must believe God for His Christ the righteousness of God is
through faith in Jesus Christ.
So what is it that Abraham must have believed, in that God did justify him? He must have believed into
Christ whom he would have known as the Coming One. Abraham must have put his faith in Christ as the
Savior his Savior in order to be made righteous. So when we review the record in Genesis, we should
expect to see some evidence that this is so.
Well begin in Genesis chapter 12, with the calling of Abraham who was then known as Abram.
[Genesis 12:1-3]
v. 1 The native land of Abram was Ur of the Chaldeans a sophisticated city-state of the Sumerian
kingdom. It was also a land of idolatry; in fact, Abrams father was an idolater (Joshua 24:2-3). The LORD
called Abram to separate himself from that land and from his family, and from his fathers house. Abram
was to separate himself unto the LORD to go to a land that the LORD would show him. What land? The
LORD did not say. Now, why would Abram want to follow this God?
v. 2-3 Well, the LORD offered some powerful incentives, here. Probably the one with the greatest draw for
Abram at the time was the promise that the LORD would make him a great nation. After all, Abrams wife
Sarai was barren (Gen 11:30), and children were considered a great blessing, in that day. For Abram to be
made a great nation, he would have to have many descendants. This would certainly have been desirable to
him.
Meanwhile, the LORD was promising to provide for Abram, to protect him, to give him renown, and even to
make him a blessing to others in fact, all the families of the earth would somehow be blessed in him
which we know, from our perspective in history, to be the first hint of the Coming Christ, to Abram. Those
were amazing promises.

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So Abram responded to the LORDs call. Did he believe God? He believed what God had shown him, in the
promises; he believed in them enough to follow the LORD, without knowing whither he went (Heb 11:8).
Did he believe God for His Christ? Not yet; but the LORD had not yet revealed Christ to Abram; Abram was
just beginning to be enlightened.
Turn to Genesis 15. Abram continued to be enlightened, as he followed the LORD. He learned that the LORD
is personal and gracious. He learned that he could trust the LORD to provide for him; to protect him; to
choose whats good for him.
The LORD had begun to fulfill some of the promises that He made to Abram; and the LORD would be faithful
to fulfill them all. But the LORD also had a timing, in what He had promised Abram.
Abram had seen the land the LORD was giving him, he had walked in it, and pitched his tent in it, but he did
not own it. And of immediate concern to Abram was the fact that he still did not have a child, let alone the
nation that the LORD had promised.
Abram had just rescued his nephew Lot from the armies of four kings, and routed them. What would have
happened if Abram died? Without children, he would have no posterity on the earth. What then of what the
LORD had promised Abram?
It was while Abram was pondering this one evening, in his tent, that the LORD came to him in a vision.
[Genesis 15:1-6]
v. 1 Who is it who came to Abram, in the vision? The LORD; notice it says, the Word of the LORD. This
was a preincarnate appearance of Christ the Word, who was, and always was, in the beginning (Jn 1:1).
The Word of the LORD said that He is Abrams shield; He holds Abrams life; and no one can snatch it out of
His hand (Jn 10:28). And the Word of the LORD said that He is Abrams exceedingly great reward. All of
the promises that the LORD has made to Abram would be realized in His Christ the Word of the LORD. And
it was on this very evening that those promises were to be secured to Abram.
Meanwhile, what Abram had been pondering in his mind came blurting out of his mouth.
v. 2-3 The Word of the LORD said, Do not be afraid, but Abram was afraid. Why? Because the LORD had
not yet fulfilled His promise to give Abram descendants seed. Abram did not have a single child.
The Word of the LORD spoke of what He was to Abram I am but Abram was occupied with what the
LORD could do for him LORD God, what will you give me?
Abram was focused on the promises that the LORD made to him, and not on the LORD Himself; he was
caught up in the circumstances of life; he had no child; he was getting older; he could have died in the
battle; a servant is his heir.
What Abram needed was to look up, and see the LORD Himself so that he would have a new perspective
on his earthly circumstances the LORDs perspective. And for that purpose, the Word of the LORD brought
him outside, for some star-gazing.

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v. 4-5 First the Word of the LORD reassured Abram that he would indeed have an heir who would be his
natural descendant produced from his own body. And then the LORD brought Abram outside to show him
this most illustrious heir Abrams Seed.
This is the word that the NKJV translates descendants; but the word in the Hebrew means literally
seed, and can have either a singular or a plural connotation, depending on context (just as in English).
Because of the connection between the heir in verse 4 and seed in verse 5, it is clear that the meaning here
is a singular seed; one particular descendant of Abraham. And who is this Seed? The answer was in the
heavens.
When the LORD told Abram to count the stars, He was not asking him for a tally. The word count in the
Hebrew carries the meaning of recounting, here. The same Hebrew word is used later in this sentence for
number. What the LORD was asking of Abram was to recount the names of the stars, if he was able to
recount them.
Would Abram have known the star names? He certainly would. The Sumerian culture in which Abram was
raised worshipped the constellations; it has been found that their ziggurats, or temple towers, were crowned
with the twelve signs of the zodiac. A ziggurat unearthed at Ur was dedicated to the moon-god they
worshipped.
This false worship of the stars was based on a perversion of the true story, which told of the Coming Christ.
God had imbedded that story in the names of the constellations that He had created on the fourth day.
Through their God-given names, the stars acted as prophetic signs, silently preaching the gospel to all the
inhabited earth.
The names of the stars are very specific to the person and work of Christ, even in terms of their order,
encompassing the plan of His first coming to the earth to His return to rule and reign over His kingdom.
You can see that as Abram began to recount the name of each star, the LORD revealed its true meaning to
him, its part in Gods plan.
And as the LORD enlightened the eyes of Abrams understanding with the true story in the stars, He said,
So shall your Seed be your heir, Abram. He could have said, These are they which testify of Me (Jn
5:39). The Word of the LORD had now revealed Himself to Abram as the Christ. Such a revelation calls for
a response.
v. 6 And what was Abrams response? Faith. He believed in the LORD believed in His revelation, of
Himself, as the Coming Christ, the Savior of the world Abrams Savior. And through the channel of
Abrams faith, the LORD accounted righteousness to him. Abram was justified by his faith in Christ.
[Return to Romans 4]
In Pauls letter to the Galatians, he says that God preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In
you all the nations shall be blessed which we read in Gods calling of Abram, in Genesis 12. As
mentioned, that was the first hint of the Coming Christ, who was then fully revealed to Abram that night
under the stars. And when Abram received that revelation of Christ, he believed God for His Christ; and
God accounted it to him for righteousness.

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The word translated accounted in verse 3 is used in some form no less than nine times in this chapter;
clearly a very important word here. It is variously translated accounted, counted, imputed, and elsewhere,
reckoned.
Basically, this word is used in both financial and legal settings, and it simply means to take something that
belongs to someone and credit it to anothers account. In verse three, righteousness was credited to
Abrahams account, through his faith.
An illustration may help us to understand this concept better. Now, this illustration is unrealistic, but it has
to be, to encompass the concept. Lets imagine that the wealthiest man in the world wealthy beyond
measure is also the most generous man in the world, and he desires that his wealth might be made
available to benefit others; specifically, all the residents of his home town.
The man deposits some of his money in his bank an immeasurable amount the bankers cant even count
it all. But remember that the man is immeasurably wealthy, so he still has an immeasurable amount of
money left. Then the man lets it be known to everyone in town that this money is now available to each
and every resident; its in the bank, waiting for them to withdraw it. But can a resident just walk in, and get
the money? No; he has to open an account first, through the bank; and then the money can be credited to
his account, and he can withdraw the money.
God is like the wealthy and generous man, infinitely righteous in His perfection as Deity. Christ Jesus is
like the bank, which contains the mans wealth; fully God, and so possessing the perfect righteousness of
Deity; but fully man, by which that righteousness can be extended to mankind.
Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, God has made it possible for each and every man in the
world to become righteous; like the money, available to everyone in the bank.
But unless a man personally comes to the bank the one and only bank of the wealthy man and opens an
account that is, unless a man comes the Christ, and puts his faith in Him God cannot credit Christs
righteousness to that mans account. Faith is the conduit, through which righteousness is received; and
without faith, there is no way to receive it. Its not a perfect illustration, but it helps to show the imputation
of righteousness.
In our banking example, whose money would you say it was, once a resident of the town withdrew it? You
could say it was the wealthy mans money after all, the resident had done nothing to earn it. You could
say it was the banks money; that was the resource. But now the resident possessed it; so you could say it
was his money; or you could say that he possessed the money of the wealthy man, or the bank. The point
is, it was now his to use, wasnt it?
Thats true of righteousness as well. The righteousness that God accounts to us is His very own
righteousness. But through our faith, God puts the righteousness of Christ on our account, allowing us to
partake of it. As it is in our account, we now have it; we are righteous.
And the supply in our account is endless, according to the infinite, perfect righteousness of Christ; we can
draw, and draw, and draw on Christs righteousness, infusing our lives with it. Thats what we do when we
abide in Christ; we live righteous.
There is a verse in the Bible which perhaps best shows this idea of God accounting, or imputing, His
righteousness to us. Turn to Second Corinthians 5:21.

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[Second Corinthians 5:21]

God made Jesus, who knew no sin, sin for us. The verb made indicates a one-time action. On the cross,
once for all, God imputed our sin to Jesus though Jesus, all the while, remained holy. Jesus bore our sin,
paying the penalty for it with His death.
This is what enabled God to impute the righteousness of Jesus to us, which makes us righteous. In Christ,
we are righteous; from the eternal perspective, God sees us in our completion; we are completely justified.
But there is also an ongoing aspect to this righteousness, in the temporal realm. The word become
indicates continuous action. This means that you are becoming what you already are righteous as you
abide in Christ as you continue to believe Him as you draw on the account.
You might notice that this is exactly the opposite of the idea of being justified by works. Through works,
the theory is that a man improves himself, gradually becoming more righteous, until he reaches a state of
sinless perfection. But of course, man cannot perfect himself, or undo the sin he has sinned.
When a man puts his faith in Christ, the work of Christ on the cross is accounted to him personally, freeing
him from sin completely past, present, and future thereby making him righteous. And then, he lives that
righteousness, so that he becomes what God has determined he already is.
There is a second lovely example in Scripture which shows imputation Gods blessed accounting. Turn
to the little letter of Philemon. You can find it after Titus right before Hebrews.
This is a personal letter that Paul wrote to a friend and fellow laborer in the gospel named Philemon.
Philemon was a wealthy man, who was led to the Lord by Paul. Afterward, Philemon graciously opened
his home for the believers to meet in Colosse; the letter indicates he had a church in his house (Phile 2).
The subject of Pauls letter is Philemons slave, Onesimus. Onesimus had run away from Philemon,
apparently stealing from him to finance his journey, for he headed about as far away from Colosse as he
could conceivably go Rome.
This is where Paul was currently imprisoned, and somehow, Onesimus came to Paul there. Paul apparently
shared the gospel with Onesimus, and Onesimus repented of his sins, and received the Lord as his Savior.
Now Onesimus wanted to make reparations with his master, Philemon, but how could he? He was a
destitute runaway slave; Philemon was his wealthy, affluent master. Onesimus had violated his trust, and
the money was long spent. But Paul had standing with Philemon as his friend, and interceded for
Onesimus, for the sake of reconciling him with his master, so that Philemon would receive him back. Lets
see how Paul did this.
[Philemon 8-19]
In verse 17, Paul is saying that if Philemon counts Paul as a partner, then Philemon should receive
Onesimus as himself just as if hes Paul.
This is what Christ has done for us. The Father and the Son are together in the work of redemption they
are partners, so to speak. And based on that work, we can be received by the Father like Onesimus, the
runaway slave, can be received by Philemon. God receives us just like His righteous Son, because in His
Son, He has made us righteous.

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11

But Paul did not ask Philemon to receive back his slave without restitution being made. In verse 18, Paul
himself offers to pay for any wrong or any loss that Philemon has suffered. Notice Paul says, put that on
my account. The word for account is the same word we are looking at in Romans. Then in verse 19,
Paul signs the letter, making it a legally-binding IOU. Jesus paid for all of our wrongs through death. The
IOU for our sins was signed with His own blood.
That is Gods economy of grace. Sin is imputed to the sinless One, and righteousness is imputed to the
unrighteous, through faith in the blood of Christ. And on that basis, we are accepted in the Beloved.
Next week: Romans 4, Psalm 32, Genesis 17.